Help Me Budget a Surprise Trip!

[Kurry]

I would love to surprise my family with a trip to the World in December. 3 Adults and 1 Child. December 14-21. Here's what I have so far... let me know if I can get any cheaper.

Airfare- $167 per person; $668 for 4 People

Tickets- $918 for 4- 5 Day Park Hopper with One plus Option (Paramount Int’)

Disney Quest- $82 for 4 People (Ticket mania)

Rooms- 1 All Star Movies Preferred Rooms $682.08

Transportation- Town Car $100 Roundtrip

Food- $750 approximately

Extras- Mickey’s Christmas Party $38 each
Souvies $40 each



Overall Estimate: $3512 (hopefully I added it up right)

To decrease spending, I could take one day off and that would decrease the ticket prices and hotel price. Should I or shouldn't I?
Any other ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Michelemouse]

I would skip the "preferred" room at ASMo and go with a regular room. None of the buildings are very far from the lobby/food court area.

 

[Kurry]

Thanks. I hadn't thought about that.

Any other suggestions?

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Your budget sounds great, very well thought out. You might go for ASMusic or Sports and just walk over to Movies to look around as Music and Sports often have discount codes that aren't available at Movies (though with the opening of Pop Century it could be that Movies will be discounted too). Keep checking those codes. I agree that the preferred room isn't really necessary at Movies, we've been successful requesting the building we want and always get fairly close.

Don't know where you're flying from but suggest you keep up with airline rates almost daily. You might sign up for one of the services that notifies you when airline rates go below a number you set.

I vote NO, don't shorten the trip. If you're going you might as well go for the full week, the first and last day are always travel days so your park days are precious! Think of it as adding value not extra $$$. Those bucks won't matter in a year or so but the extra time together and memories WILL.

Have fun!

 

[juliette]

Kurry

I agree with everyone go for a standerd room and wait for the codes. When I first reserved my room at ASMo it was about 400 more then now after the codes came out. I also ordered my tickets from Paramount and it 2 pluses not 1 . I hope this brings some happines to in extra day. Also you can save buy having snacks in the room and to take along with you at the parks. I also tought about taking days out of my vacation but should we it a VACATION. No worries there is alot more great money saving tips coming.

Dont Worry Be Happy

 

[patsal]

Be sure to keep checking the codes as suggested, you may very well end up with a discounted room. Have flexibility with the hotel too, I'd definately not pay extra money for preferred in an all star. Use the towncar to make a grocery stop, a few cases of water and/or soda will really cut your expenses. There are microwaves available in the foodcourts so you can zap popcorn for an inexpensive snack. Bringing or purchasing breakfaast foods on the grocery stop will also help to save a substantial amount of money. There are toasters in the all stars that you can use to toast bagels etc. and the microwave can heat up oatmel as well. As your plans begin to gel you'll come up with lots of ways to pare down the expenses.

 

[Kurry]

Thanks to everyone who responded. This trip is seeming more and more like a reality. Now I'm just hoping for a good code and maybe a decrease in airfare.

Thanks again!

 

[megnsamsgrace]

Why don't you buy your hoppers from https://secure19.vosn.net/~wdisneyw/orderform/form.php The price is $258 (includes tax). Childrens are $205 and you get 4 plusses with it!! Its just a bit more than you wanted to spend but you get the 4 plusses that never expire... just a thought, I went with them and got my tickets, brochures and park maps in 3 days! Steph

PS Didnt think... get these! Then you save the cost of DQ since you can use your plus options for that!!

 

[crazyforgoofy]

I could be wrong but don't think DQ is a plus option on a parkhopper plus.

 

[megnsamsgrace]

But I saw this
http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/ticket.html And it says so... I am not sure, we only wanted the PLUS for the waterparks...

I got this from paramount...
"Disney's 7 days Park Hopper Plus
7 days of admission to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom with freedom to visit multiple parks on the same day. Each day of the 7-DAY PARK HOPPER PLUS is used at any park, constitutes one full day of use. Unused days may be saved for your next visit.
PLUS: a choice of FOUR (4) of the following (use now or on your next visit): 1 admission to Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park, or 1 admission to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, or 1 admission to Disney's River Country Water Park (open seasonally) or 1 admission to Downtown Disney Pleasure Island, or 1 admission to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex (Admission to certain sporting events at Disney Wide World of Sports Complex may require an additional admission charge).
Use of the Walt Disney World Resort Transportation system (includes monorails, ferry, boats and motorcoaches). " So I dont know... SORRY! Steph

 

[Kurry]

Thanks for the suggestion megnsamsgrace but we don't know when we could make it back to Disney to use those plusses. Plus, DQ is not an option on the Park Hopper Plus passes. Thanks anyhow.